This invention relates in general to sliding door installation for a motor vehicle and more particularly to an upper track roller mechanism for the door.
Track roller mechanisms for a vehicle sliding door having inwardly curved roller guiding tracks are well known in the art. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,872 issued May 8, 1979 to Tanizaki et al. discloses a panel-type truck having a typical sliding door mechanism. When the Tanizaki door is being moved from its open to its closed position the tracks, which are inwardly-curved at their forward ends, bring the front edge of the door into closed engagement with the vehicle body. A pivotally mounted bracket allows the rear end of the door to be swung inwardly to latch the door in a position flush with the vehicle side. Tanizaki also discloses an upper track mechanism with a horizontally disposed guide roller slidable in a U-section track.